Governor's Palace, West Bedroom

Interior detail of the fireplace mantelpiece in the West Bedroom of the Governor's Palace, 1935. The mantelpiece is inlaid with Delft tile. "The facing that surround the fireplace is of Dutch tile as elsewhere in the Palace. Its adoption here is due to the recovery of many Dutch tiles and tile fragments in the excavations of the building site."

Interior furnishings and decor reflect curators' views in the 1930s as to how Williamsburg's historic interiors may have looked in the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, with new research advancements over the years, the interiors of the Governor’s Palace have changed to reflect a more authentic and accurate view of the building’s likely contents and room arrangements.

(Source: A. Lawrence Kocher, "Architectural Report: Palace of the Governors of Virginia Block 20 Building 3," Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library Research Report Series - 0133 [Williamsburg, Va.: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation: 1952], pgs. 71-72)